1985 2nd December
Luxembourg European Council
Represents Greece as negotiations on the Single European Act approach completion.
European integration · permanent subject timeline
Single European Act
Treaty reform designed to complete the internal market. This page combines historical context with 20 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database EEC archive.
Historical context
Single European Act: overview and significance
What happened?
The Single European Act was signed in 1986 and entered into force in 1987. It revised Community decision-making and supported a programme to remove remaining barriers to a single internal market.
Why was it important?
The Act revived integration after years of stagnation, expanded majority voting and created the legal and political momentum for the 1993 single market.
World History Database records
Single European Act timeline
The records below are selected from the 936-record EEC and European integration archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1985
1986
1986 17th February
Single European Act
Heads the German government when Germany joins the first group of states signing the Single European Act.
1986 17th February
Single European Act
Heads the Irish government when Ireland signs the Single European Act.
1986 17th February
Single European Act
Signs the Single European Act for Italy as Foreign Minister.
1986 17th February
Single European Act
Heads the Italian government when Italy signs the Single European Act.
1986 28th February
Single European Act Signature
Heads the Greek government when Greece joins the signing of the Single European Act.
1986 28th February
Single European Act Signature
Represents Greek foreign policy as the Single European Act is signed.
1986 February
Single European Act Support
Mitterrand supported the Single European Act as the treaty basis for completing the internal market.
1986 24th December
European Communities Amendment Act
Signs legislation intended to enable Irish ratification of the Single European Act.
1986 24th December
Single European Act Injunction
Faces a High Court injunction preventing ratification of the Single European Act without further constitutional consideration.
1986
Legislation
The first major revision of the treaties since the Merger Treaty, leaders signed the Single European Act in February 1986. The text dealt with institutional reform, including extension of community powers 'g in particular in regarding foreign policy. It was a major component in completing the single market
1986
Single European Act
The Single European Act expanded Community powers and provided the legal framework for completing the internal market.
1986
Single European Act
The first major revision of the treaties since the Merger Treaty, leaders signed the Single European Act in February 1986. The text dealt with institutional reform, including extension of community powers 'g in particular in regarding foreign policy. It was a major component in completing the single market
1987
1987 26th May
Single European Act Referendum
Heads the government when voters approve the constitutional amendment permitting ratification of the Single European Act.
1987 1st July
Single European Act Enters Force
The Single European Act entered into force, strengthening Community powers and the legal basis for the internal market.
1987 1st July
Single European Act Enters into Force
Heads the German government when the Single European Act enters into force and strengthens the internal-market programme.
1987 1st July
Single European Act Enters into Force
Heads the Greek government when the Single European Act enters into force.
1987 1st July
Single Market Treaty Reform Takes Effect
Serves as Foreign Minister when the Single European Act begins operating.
1987 1st July
Single European Act Enters into Force
Heads the government when the Single European Act enters into force after Ireland completes ratification.
1987 1st July
Single Market Programme
Serves as foreign minister as the Single European Act strengthens the programme for completing the internal market.
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database EEC records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
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